FIRE .... THANKS TO THEIR "LIFE SAVING" DOG! GOOD EVENING, I'M SHEREE PAOLELLO. AND I'M MIKE DARDIS. THEY WERE SOUND ASLEEP WHEN FLAMES ERUPTED IN THE HOME. WLWT NEWS 5'S JACKIE CONGEDO JOINS US WITH THE STORY, OF THE BARKING PET THAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. JACKIE. JOHN ABNEY AND HIS WIFE RESCUED 3 YEAR OLD MALAKI FROM THE SPCA THREE YEARS AGO. AND LAST NIGHT-- WHEN THEIR LIVES WERE ON THE LINE-- HE REPAID THE FAVOR. (john abney/survivor) ( he's been about the best dog i could have ever asked for he's always been loyal always watched out for me and my wife especIally last night) MAN'S BEST FRIEND... NOW SEEMS AN INADEQUATE LABEL...FOR 3 YEAR OLD MALAKI... (john abney/survivor) ( he's my guardian angel) WHAT'S NOW A CHARRED SHELL OF A HOME...WAS A ROARING INFERNO LAST NIGHT. JOHN ABNEY AND HIS WIFE SAY THE ONLY REASON THEY MADE IT OUT...WAS BECAUSE THEIR BOXER LAB MIX... SOUNDED THE ALARM. (john abney/survivor) ( normally he'll sleep through the night quietly and sound and last nigh there was something definitely wrong and he made sure we knew that) ABNEY SAYS HE HEARD THE BARKING...AND WHINING ... GOT UP... OPENED THE BEDROOM DOOR... (john abney/survivor) ( looked around the corner and my living room was just a giant circle of fire) HE AND HIS WIFE GOT OUT A BACK DOOR.. MALAKI AND THEIR OTHER DOG FOLLOWED. BUT THEIR TWO PUPPIES... WERE STILL INSIDE. ABNEY RUSHED BACK IN AFTER THEM...SINGED HIS HAND...EARS AND HAIR...AND HAD TO GET OUT. BUT MALAKI WAS DETERMINED TO FIND THEM. (john abney/survivor) ( he tried to go back in after the puppies himself:47 i ended up jumping back into the kitchen and pulling him out real quick before he could go in there) (john abney/survivor) ( i owe him everything) BUT FOR NOW-- SOME SNACKS WILL HAVE TO DO ... (john abney/survivor) ( he has a whole bag of treats over there that he's been steadily eating) AS HARD AS IT IS FOR THE BOTH OF THEM TO FACE THIS REALITY... WHAT'S IMPORTANT.. HAS NEVER BEEN CLEARER. (john abney/survivor) (as long as i got my wife and i got malaki here i'm sure that everything will be fine) SADLY THOSE PUPPIES NEVER MADE IT OUT. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION TONIGHT. JC, WLWT NEWS 5. ABNEY WAS FLOWN TO UC MEDICAL CENTER WHERE HE WAS TREATED FOR